Jambs stewart



@einen gisten utent 'Letters Patent No. 81,308, dated August 18, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN FASTENING HANDLES 'T0 AXES, PIGIKS, dec.

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TO ALLWHOM IT MAY CONCERNV: v

Be it known that I, JAMES STEWART, of St. Cloud, in the county ofStearns, and in the State of Minnesota,

' have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mode of FasteningHandles of Axes, Hammers, tot

and'do hereby declare that the following is a full,'clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon. i

vThe nature of my invention consists in the mode of fastening handles totools, by means of a tongue inserted into and forming part of thehandle,`and which is so constructed that when the handle is insertedinto the eye of the tool,rthe wood presses so iirmly on either side ofsaid tongue, that it cannot be displaced by use.

It is well knownv that in fastening handles to tools in the usual way,by wedging, they become looso after comparatively short usage, and thenold nails or broken spikes are generally driven into the handle throughthe eye, which, in turn, fail to effect afastening, to say nothing. ofthe bungling appearance of tools thus fastened.

My device, outhe contra-ry, presents a nice finish and ornament to thetool, is simple, and quickly inserted into the handle, and, in case ofa. broken handle, that portion remaining in the eye can be almostinstantly removed, giving place for a new one, obviatinggthe necessityof burning out the old handle, thereby spoiling thc temper of the tool,or of boring it out, spoiling a bit, as is now generallydonc.

Espocially'will these-advantages be seen in stone-cutters tools, thatfrequently have to be removed from the handle to be sharpened.

In order to enable-others ,skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation, referring to the annexed drawings, which 4form a part.of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side section, showing thetongue inserted from the edge of the handle.

Figure 2, the same, with two straps attached to tho handle.

.Figure 3, the same, with only onestrap attached.

Figure 4 is an edge view of thc'fastening, shown in fig.' 1.

Figure 5, an cnd view of the fastening, lshown in iig. 2; and

Figure 6 is a cross-section, showing the band holding the strap in iig.3. A represents the handle,-B the tool or implement to which the handleis fastened.

C is a metal tongue, with a rounded o r circular projection, z', on itslower end, which is inserted into a groovxe or slot, cut for thatpurpose, in the end of the handle, and extends clear through the same,either from side to sido or from 'top to bottom edge, and is of suchlength that when the handle is inserted into the eye of the tool, thetool will cover the whole length of the tongue, including the circularprojection z'.

The manner in which I prepare the handle for the Atongue is by boring ahole, at a suitable point, for the i circular projection z', thencutting a groove or slot through from the end of the handle into saidhole. The upper corners of said groove are bevelled outwards, to suitthe projections on the uppenend ofthe tongue, as plainly seen in fig.The tongue extends from thescprojections beyond the end of the handle,forming a screw-holt, a. When the tongue C has been pressed into this,the edges thereof will be exactly even with the surface of the handle.The handle is. then put into the eye o`l" the tool. and a nut, Z),placed on the screw-bolt, which holds the handle securely. i

It.will be seen that, from the peculiar construction ofthe tongue C, itcannot by any means slip out of the handle, as the tool itscl` pressesor binds the wood tightly around the circular projection z', and theprojections at the uppcr'cnd of the tongue give suHeient size andstrength to the -holt a for the nut.

The cute;` side of the toolv is provided with a countersink, into whichthe nut b is sunk, when on the bolt a,

so as to give a perfectly smooth and even surface to the tool, as shownin fig. 2,`or a washer, c, may he put on between the tool and the nut,as shown in fig. 1, and in this caso, if desired to give a smoothsurface to the tool, I make tlt'c washer hat-shaped, with a hole throughthe crown for the bolt a to pass through, placing thecrown into theeyeof the tool', withthcbrim resting upon and projecting a little over theeye, the bolt a projecting through the top or crown on aline with theoutside of the tool, which is now ready for the nut, this latter beingin size the same as the inside of the hat-washer. This will leave thesurface perfectly smooth, with the exception of the brim of the washer,which,` however, can dono injury to .any timber or lumber in drawingnails, Ste.4

In case it should be necessary, the tongue C may be provided with two ormore bolts, instead of one, in which case, the washer, of course, wouldhavo a corresponding number of holes; and the washer may be provided, onits under side, with one or more wedges, which are to drive intothehandle. This is, however, immaterial. I only insert this here, as Imay make my fastenin'gs with more than` one bolt, and with one ormorewedges, if desired. u

Instead of using a nut on the bolt a, the said bolt may be riveted onthe outside of, or in a countersnk on', the tool. y

To strengthen the handle, and-prevent it from splitting, I plaeea metalstrap, d, on one orboth of the top and bottom edges of the handle, theforward ends of these straps entending into theeye of the tool, and they(the straps) arefastened either by a bolt or screw, e, as shown in iig.2, or by a bandff, passing around the handle, and its ends riveted in ahol'e on the strap, as shown in fig. 6.

v If the tongue C is placed in the handle from edge to edge, thecircular projection z may extend above the same, and a hole made in thestrap d for it to 'pass through, when it is then riveted thereon, asshown in g. 2. i These fasteningsand straps, thus described, may beused, and I reserve to myself to use them, on any tool, implement, ormachinery where applicable. l

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to .secure by Letters Patent, is-

The metal tongue C, constructed as described, and provided with a`circular projection, z', on its lower end, and one or more bolts, a, onits upper end, when used for the purpose' of fastening handles to tools,substantially as herein vset forth. V v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand undseal, this 29th day`of May, 1868.

JAMES STEWART. [L s] Witnesses:

J. H. HOLLADAUGH, J. R. LOWELL.

